Putting my baby on loan- advice please.

[libertylou]

I am currently going through a very bad break up and divorce. I have had to leave my home, most of my animals- my heart has been shattered.

Liberty has kept me going through everything but with all that is happening I am starting to lack the time and funds for her.

I have thought long and hard and have decided to put her on full loan. She is going to a family for their 10 year old daughter. The daughter has been riding Libby for a few months and she is great with her. It breaks my heart to have to do it but it is better than the alternative which is selling her.


Do the borrowers have to insure her or is it still my responsibility?
How often can I visit her without seeming unreasonable?
Is it reasonable to write a list of feed etc?

I have a basic template to use- but what extras should I include?

Many thanks!

 

[Jade&Syrah]

When I had my mare on full loan, i payed for everything, her owners never had anything to do with her apart from visiting when they wanted too. They never really came to visit tho.
x

 

[libertylou]

When I had my mare on full loan, i payed for everything, her owners never had anything to do with her apart from visiting when they wanted too. They never really came to visit tho.
x

Thanks for your reply. I love Libby so much- feeling devastated that it has come to this, but I don't want to see pushy! xx

 

[scatty_mare]

Really sorry to hear that, what a horrible situation but I hope it won't be too long before you're able to take her back again.

I have a mare on full loan and I pay for everything. The insurance is the owner's policy, and they have paid the premium, but I pay them back each month with a standing order.

The loan is for (initially) 4 years, while the owner is on a gap year and then at uni and currently she is home for the summer so she actually shares the horse with me. She pays me £20 a week and she has her for 2 days. I haven't moved the horse, but the yard is convenient for me.

It's a pretty complicated situation and to be honest I would much rather NOT share her with anyone but the £20 a week does help and I get on well with the owner. She comes up to the yard pretty much every day to ride other horses and always give grubby grey mare lots of lovin! I have no problem with that at all, it's nice that she gets to spend time with her horse.

I suppose it might be different if it was a private yard. Is the loaner moving Liberty?

 

[Boxers]

I have a horse on loan (Manni) and have had him for 2.5 years. I pay for everything for him as if he were my own - shoes, feed, insurance, vaccinations etc.

If you have Liberty insured already you might be as well to continue that insurance rather than the loanee taking out a new policy. You can ask them to pay the premium though.

As to visiting, visit as often as you like. Manni's owner pretty much lets me get on with it, but she has come to see him compete on several occasions and we are in regular contact via Facebook and email, and I tell her what he's up to and where he's going etc. She has only visited him at my yard once or twice, but I am pleased that she trusts me with her horse.

I am sorry to hear of your troubles and hope you can get yourself sorted out soon.

 

[horseless jorge!]

I have not as yet insured my loan horses, but if it was a 'full' or 'permanent' loan, then maybe they would insure.
I would see fit for the owner to come visit whenever they wanted, don't see why you should't!!
Yes, a list of feed would be great. My old loan mare was sold with a four page essay on EVERYTHING, including how to canter her.

When drawing up the contract I would put it in writing that you can take the mare back whenever you see fit.

 

[mulledwhine]

Won't go into the bad experience of lowning my boy, but will tell who it worked when we did loan our current pony ( have now bought him, so I guess this did work )

I had to pay insurance, as loanee put it, essentially we had got a free pony, I openly encouraged visits from her, as I think he is treated better than us, I had nothing to hide ( I was naive when put mine out on loan and agreed to make an appointment !!!) won't make that mistake again , it is still your horse you can see him when ever you like.

Vets bills, feed bills are down to loanee, if you want a feed to still be fed, then they should stick to that.

 

[libertylou]

The woman has requested a permanent loan- and we have agreed to do 12 monthly contracts. She has also requested a 3 month notice period. I have agreed to this but will include in the loan that I can remove her without notice if I feel she isn't being looked after.

I will miss her so much. I know they will love her and I really think they will do right by her!

They will be keeping her where she is now. And I will request it stays like that. Libby is very happy there!

Thank you for all your replies. Feeling like I could do with a bit of support right now!

 

[libertylou]

Won't go into the bad experience of lowning my boy, but will tell who it worked when we did loan our current pony ( have now bought him, so I guess this did work )

I had to pay insurance, as loanee put it, essentially we had got a free pony, I openly encouraged visits from her, as I think he is treated better than us, I had nothing to hide ( I was naive when put mine out on loan and agreed to make an appointment !!!) won't make that mistake again , it is still your horse you can see him when ever you like.

Vets bills, feed bills are down to loanee, if you want a feed to still be fed, then they should stick to that.

I am feeling on edge because I know so many people have had problems with loaning their horses, I have just the recent thread on here! It would devastate me if she wasn't looked after!

 

[mulledwhine]

Nothing bad will happen if you trust your loanee, and are able to keep a close eye on her.

As I said I was stupid and naive, and it is not a mistake I will ever make again.

Your situation is different as she is being kept at your current yard, so I have every faith that all will be ok

Don't feel like you are interfering by visiting, when ours was on loan ( and even now that we own Levi) I still activly encourage visits good luck xxxx

 

[scatty_mare]

I am feeling on edge because I know so many people have had problems with loaning their horses, I have just the recent thread on here! It would devastate me if she wasn't looked after!

It sounds like you are doing everything you can to ensure that she will be loved and appreciated and will have a great time!
Take reassurance from the fact that you know the girl and the family, and that you know that they get on well with Liberty. Make sure that they know that if they have any problems they can come straight to you for advice and help, so you can help make sure that everything is going right.
She's staying put which is great, and means that she won't be unsettled too much.
Make sure you visit as often as you want to!

 

[Elf On A Shelf]

I currently have 4 ponies out on loan doing various things. Their loaners pay for everything. I get regular updates from them on Facebook and text without me having to chase them up. With all 4 it is on the understanding that they can keep the ponies for as long as they wish. They have to give me a 1month notice if they want to send them back, likewise if I want to take them back provided that nothing is wrong, just a change in circumstances. If I don't think the ponies are being looked after properly then I can remove them without notice.

 

[navaho]

I am feeling on edge because I know so many people have had problems with loaning their horses, I have just the recent thread on here! It would devastate me if she wasn't looked after!

There are good loan homes out there, although we took our boy back in a state i do have another gelding out on loan who is loved & looked after like their own. Sadly the minority ruin it for the majority. My only words of advice are to make sure you do regular checks & dont get fobbed off for any reason, i still wonder if we had put off checking our boy for another month if he would still be here.

 

[unbalanced]

When I put my mare out on loan I used the contract off the BHS website and amended it to suit mine and my loaner's needs.

I kept my insurance policy going and I paid for it. The way I saw it, if the horse died, I was in line for the payout, not the loaner. If she was seriously ill, I would take her back and then I would want to know that she was properly covered. You do need to contact your insurer and let them know that your horse is going on loan and the loaner's details. (If there had been a claim the loaner would have paid the excess along with the vet's bills. I can't remember if there was or not).

I made a list of all the tack, rugs, boots and equipment accompanying the horse and approximate values, conditions, colours, makes and so on. I went through all this with the loaner and we both signed it. This was then a checklist to go through when I got my horse back.

Any conditions that you want to impose on how your horse is kept that are really important to you should be in the contract. For example, my horse brushes, so I put in the contract that she has to wear boots to be ridden or otherwise worked. She's a Welshie so I put no pulling of mane or tail or trimming of feathers. Silly to some, but really important to me and if you don't clarify these things in writing there is room for misunderstanding. Someone posted on here a few weeks ago that she'd sent her horse to an equine college and he'd come back hogged. If you don't want that to happen, say so. If you don't want the loaner to let anyone else ride, say so. If you want a particular feed, now is the time to mention that.

Put your conditions about visiting. I visited every six months to a year because mine was 300 miles away but I really trusted my loaner. She kept my horse in fab condition and gave good telephone updates when I couldn't get down to visit (I was living abroad a lot which was why my horse was on loan in the first place). Say if you're planning on giving notice or not, for example.

Mention things like shoeing. How often, if you have a specific farrier in mind, if your horse needs fronts and backs, if you would have a problem with the shoes being taken off or not and so on. On a similar note, if you have a specific vet in mind, say that too.

Put in the contract that you give your loaner permission to have your horse PTS in an emergency if they can't contact you. It would be dreadful for your horse to be suffering if you weren't contactable, and a horrid situation for the poor loaner to be in as well.

Get your signatures on the contract witnessed by two people (each pick someone who isn't a relative).

It was really hard taking my pony to her loan home and after I signed the contract and had to go and say goodbye to her was really really hard. I cried a lot. In the end though, it was fine. I got to go and see her and spend weekends with her a couple of times a year. My loaner was absolutely lovely and took fantastic care of my horse and when my life settled down and I was living in one place again I got her back. It'll be fine.

 

[Luci07]

Firstly I am so sorry you are having such an awful time. The most positive thing I can say is that the worst is actually behind you now - the worst was the day you realised how pear shaped everything had become, you are only on the way up and will be able to look back at this.

Couple of things do jump out at me "permanant loan" - I would not say that. There have been numerous posts and the interpretations have varied hugely. Permanent loan seems to assume the horse is never coming back. Register your mare as on loan with NED and her passport agency. PM MHOL on here to check you have covered all your bases. The other thing I would do is to talk to the woman up front about just how much time you can spend with your horse. Liberty has clearly been a lifeline for you but equally, your sharers will probably not want you there all the time. There is a line in between and I would have that conversation up front. i.e that you would want open access at any time but would agree to actual visits say x times per month, agreed up front - and agree what you would want to do - groom? chat? think about it.

I am so sorry you are having such an awful time but this way, you can have your mare back when your life is more on track. Remember to treat yourself kindly too as you are going through a major trauma. Possessions are really just objects. We get far too hung up on them but I didn't learn that till I had a house fire. Then all that mattered was my dog and that a hard lesson sharply learned.

YOU are taking control, YOU have not let this completely overwhelm you and YOU will be alright. Take the time to give yourself credit for what you have acheived to date and know that is will all get so much better.

 

[Samantha008]

My advice would be to keep the insurance in your name, and get installments from the loanee. Ive been having some right ***** about it recently and its really not fair on either party. Horses can go wrong, we all know that and i think its easier for an owner if they feel in charge and its easier for the loanee as its very complicated if the horse has to come back for any reason!!

Sorry to be negative but that is what i have learned in my experience. But other than that, relax, most loaners are fab, you already know this girl and im sure shell look after her like she was her own

 

[Murphs_Mum]

I can't help you with loan advice, just wanted to offer you hugs and support - I went through the same thing a few years ago - horrid divorce/lost my dogs and ran out of time and money for horse :-(. Three years on I am remarried, have retrieved my cats, have a JRT and sold my horse to a lovely forum member who helped me out in my crisis by sharing him
Initially. Just wanted to say it will get better I promise x

 

[Chestnutmare]

I too have just taken on a loan horse (I hadn't even met the owner or horse at the time) but was all based on trust even though my situation is slightly different as my sister in law knows the owner etc... anyway my boy arrived from Ireland Friday just gone, he had lost some weight on the journey, but is looking loads better now, he needed shoes, they got done this am, his owner still pays for his insurance though, everything else I pay for...which is right.

I also have a BHS loan agreement in place, with everything listed of his etc.

Owner will be visiting soon as he is settled too and I welcome them to come anytime they want.. I have nothing to hide.

Sounds like your's will be too especially as they have looked after her for the 3mths prior.

Sorry to hear about your situation and hope it resolves itself in due course. chin up though